My grandson got his vision back today.
As his facial bones began to grow in preparation for adolescence, as so often happens, the shape of his eyeballs changed. It happens gradually; one does not notice it. But eventually he could not see much of anything at any distance at all.
This feature was discovered by his father and his other grandparents as they drove through Scotland. The adults remarked upon the sheep on a distant hillside. The kid could not see the sheep. They got closer, and then he could discern black dots. Of course he thought that's what everyone could see.
Promptly upon their return home his father took him to an optometrist, and glasses were prescribed. We picked them up today. They are very attractive, and make him look vaguely older than he is (he's now 11).
He told me privately, "The difference is startling!" He keeps looking around at distant objects with a kind of wonder on his face. He can't get over it.
I love him so much it hurts.
He's a fantastic upper just to be with today. I was blind (well, not entirely, but..) and now I see!